The Nenana Daily News

CITIZENS REMOVE
QUARANTINE BAN;
FAIRBANKS FREE

The quarantine ban against Fairbanks, established some time ago by the people of Nenana, has now been lifted at the request of the majority of Nenanaites, and travel between Fairbanks and Nenana, under certain conditions which can easily be complied with, has now been made possible.

Advices received from the coast towns recently by the Board of Health, indicating that the disease had been practically stamped out and that the danger of its spreading to the Interior was infinitesimal, was deemed sufficient cause by that body for the modification at least of the quarantine measures. The Board of Health also understood that a majority of Nenanaites favored the lifting of the quarantine between Nenana and Fairbanks, and in view of the fact that the quarantine was instituted, in the first instance at the request of the people of Nenana, a mass meeting was called to ascertain the wishes of the people in the matter.

An erroneous impression seems to be entertained to the effect that the quarantine was established by F. D. Browne, as head of the Alaskan Engineering commission. This is not so. Legal authority for the establishment of a quarantine is vested in the Board of Health alone, and the quarantine was established at the instance of the Board of Health and at the express wishes of the people of Nenana: Mr. Browne taking an active part and acting as chairman of the various mass and other meetings at the request of prominent Nenanaites.

The measures taken also had his strong support as head of the Alaskan Engineering commission for this division, which also bore more than half the expense of maintaining and all of the expenses of establishing the various camps for the quarantine.

The mass meeting was held at the Coliseum immediately after the picture show Saturday night. The large attendance at the show was augmented considerably by others arriving at the end of the show to attend the meeting, which in consequence, was a representative one.

F. D. Browne again presided at the meeting, being supported on the dais by Dr. David More. Mr. Browne briefly addressed the gathering and explained the purpose of the meeting. He said that as the people themselves had instituted the quarantine measures, it was now up to them to say whether or not the stringent rules laid down are to be relaxed. He said that insofar as he was concerned, he was in favor of lifting the quarantine against Fairbanks provided the Board of Health and the people of Nenana sanctioned such a move. All reports coming in, he said, indicated an abatement of the disease on the Alaskan coast, and that the danger would not appear to be so imminent as at first, when, in response to the wishes of the people, the quarantine was established.

He stated that Townsite Manager Joseph, who is also secretary of the Board of Health, made a special trip to Fairbanks and had had several conferences with the health officials of the upper town. Mr. Joseph also went very thoroughly into the question of the quarantine established by the Fairbanks authorities against the coast, and in a lengthy communication unhesitatingly recommended the abandonment of the quarantine against Fairbanks.

Dr. David More, on being called upon by Mr. Browne to state his views and define his recommendations regarding the lifting of the quarantine, said that in view of influenza conditions on the coast at present, he would recommend the lifting of the quarantine between Nenana and Fairbanks on condition that people coming to Nenana from Fairbanks will provide themselves with a certificate from the Fairbanks health officer, stating that the holder is in good health; but he said he could not conscientiously recommend any modification of the measures taken against Anchorage on the Broad Pass trail, and the mission.

He told of a conference he had with Dr. Sutherland over the phone and of being informed that nobody is allowed to leave the Second division: the boys discharged from the army at St. Michael and now on their way to Nenana, will not be allowed to come in, he said.

The danger from this source, he said, did not exist, but nevertheless, the strict watch kept on possible arrivals from the lower river and from the coast via the Broad Pass trail, and the quarantine against the native village and the mission, must be continued until all danger had passed.

The question of raising the quarantine against Fairbanks was first put to the people; a vote of ayes and nays indicating that considerable opposition still existed, a rising vote was taken; and it being ascertained that the majority were in favor of the measure, the quarantine against Fairbanks was duly lifted and travel will be allowed subject to the conditions indicated before.

It being the will of the people that the quarantine against the mission and the lower river and on the Broad Pass trail should remain in full force until such time as all danger is over, it was so ordered and the meeting came to an end.